Iran Foreign Minister Salehi Greets Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan0720 GMT: A Pause from Prison. Journalists Mehdi Mahmoudian and Ahmad Zeidabadi have been granted a furlough of "several days" from prison for the Iranian New Year.
Zeidabadi, who is also a student activist, was seized days after the disputed June 2009 Presidential election and has been given a six-year sentence with a lifetime ban on political activity and journalism. He has had only one previous leave from his imprisonment.
Mahmoudian, detained in August 2009 after he reported on the abuses at the Kahrizak detentio centre, is serving a five-year sentence. He has been denied leave repeatedly, despite his mother's pleas, since then.
0600 GMT: We begin this morning on the international front, with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arriving in Iran for talks with officials, including President Ahmadinejad, Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani, and 1st Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi.
Iranian State media are vague about the discussions:
Senior Iranian and Turkish officials will...exchange views on mutual relations as well as the latest developments in the Middle East. They are also likely to discuss issues relevant to Iran's nuclear energy. Erdogan is also scheduled to inaugurate Turkey’s cultural center in Tehran. Observers say the visit by the Turkish premier will likely shape future ties between the two neighboring nations and regional powers that have witnessed significant growth in the economic sphere in recent years.
However, Press TV does give a couple of important tip-offs in the press release. "Issues relevant to Iran's nuclear energy" refers to Tehran's talks with the 5+1 Powers (US, UK, China, France, Russia, Germany), scheduled for 14 April in Istanbul.
And someone at the Iranian agency slips in this provocative note: "Despite their cordial relations, Tehran and Ankara do not share common views on the current situation in Syria. "
Posted via email from lissping
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